10-Nights Golden Eagle Grand Alpine Express - Ready-to-Book Private Journeys from $21,300

Abercrombie & Kent

OFFER ID 1652088

Golden Eagle Grand Alpine Express
Fall for the romance of rail travel on this loop of Europe’s loveliest lakes and mountains, hopping between some of the continent’s most culturally diverse capitals.

This journey starts among the spires of Budapest and ends on the waterways of Venice, allowing you to revel in the Austrian Tyrol, Swiss Alps and Italian Lake District from the comfort of the Golden Eagle Danube Express train, whose en suite cabins are complete with power showers and king-sized beds. With a dedicated cabin attendant providing personal service 24/7 and a fine-dining restaurant car, accommodation has all the comfort and glamor of a Grande Dame hotel, that will whisk you all the way from Lake Zurich to Lake Bled.

10 nights from $21,300 per person

Itinerary

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Itinerary Details

1 Arrive Budapest, Hungary

On arrivals day in Budapest, you will be met at the airport, train station or river ship landing stage and transferred to the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace for a two-night stay.

Enjoy a welcome reception dinner in the elegant surrounds of this art nouveau landmark, with its panoramic views across the River Danube, where you can meet your fellow travellers on this highly-anticipated journey.

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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2 Budapest - A Walk Along the Danube

The Hungarian capital is compact enough to explore on a walking tour. On the west side of the river, find whimsical Fisherman’s Bastion and soak in the healing hot springs at the Gellért Baths; on the east, song bursts forth from castles, churches and opera houses.

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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3 Vienna, Austria - Private Concert

We enjoy a drinks reception at Budapest Nyugati station before boarding the Golden Eagle Danube Express for our morning departure. Settle in to your cabin and later enjoy lunch as the train heads to Vienna. There’s an effortless elegance to the place Beethoven called home. An afternoon spent walking through the pyramidic Palm House and citrus-scented orangery of the Schönbrunn Palace flows into a private concert at Palais Auersperg performed by the Vienna Supreme Orchestra.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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4 Innsbruck - Semmering Pass, Lake Achen

Peer through your private cabin’s picture window at the Alps, arguably Europe’s most beautiful highlands. Cross the Semmering Pass, cruise crystalline Lake Achen and spend the night in the stately, mountain-ringed city of Innsbruck.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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5 Zurich, Switzerland - Altstadt Landmarks

A private walking tour of the country’s largest city is a fabulous way to get beneath its surface, from the history of its pre-medieval Altstadt (Old Town), to a cheese fondue tasting using alpine staples such as Gruyère and Emmental.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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6 Lake Como, Italy - Through the St. Gotthard Pass

Sit back as your sleeper train chugs along the shores of Alpine lakes, climbs the vertiginous St. Gotthard Pass and dips into a joyful descent through gorgeous Lugano. Slow to a stop on Lake Como, for a private boat cruise across the serene water and visit the beautiful lakeside town of Bellagio, where we stop for a scenic lunch and an opportunity for souvenir shopping. Lake Como is surrounded by high mountains and dramatic cliffs, so it is quite different from the other Italian lakes. A narrow road runs up its western coast towards Switzerland and sits up high above the water, with the towns dropping down beneath it. Renowned for its beautifully kept public gardens and historic villas, it is easy to see why so many celebrities love Lake Como.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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7 Verona and Trieste - Romeo and Juliet

This morning after running along the south shore of Lake Garda we arrive in Verona. The setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a romantic place for a morning’s guided tour among Roman ruins. Then, it’s on to Trieste to visit Miramare Castle, a historic seaside residence rich in art, culture, and imperial legacy. Cap things off with a spritz in sprawling Piazza Unita d’Italia.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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8 Ljubljana, Slovenia - Views of Lake Bled

Early risers will be rewarded as the tracks snake through the emerald heart of the Julian Alps and past Lake Bled’s picturesque island. Next up is Ljubljana, as we have lunch on board and discover a delightful combination of ancient architecture and a youthful culture. Our afternoon tour includes visits to Preseren Square, Three Bridges and Dragon Bridge.

Golden Eagle Danube Express

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9 Venice, Italy - Postojna and Slovenia

The strange, stalactite-ridden lunarscape of the Postojna Caves is even more ethereal on an echoey private tour, followed by a multi-course lunch on the train with views over Venice’s lagoon.

We say farewell to our train crew and transfer to the San Clemente Palace Kempinski for a two-night stay, a five-star luxury urban resort on a private island, just minutes from Piazza San Marco via regular complimentary boat. Offering impressive views of Venice Lagoon, the 900-year-old property features a 12th century chapel and expansive stately gardens and courtyards.

San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice

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10 Venice - Walking the Canals

Venice’s heady dream of Carnival, canals, basilicas and Byzantine relics are as bewitching as the palaces that appear to float on the Adriatic. Life in these salt-scented passageways has ebbed and flowed with the rhythm of the water for centuries, and reveal themselves on a walking tour. Walk through the winding lanes beside the Grand Canal to St. Mark’s Square, which for 1,000 years was the heart of Venetian life. We also see St. Mark’s Basilica and can choose to stroll through the Rialto Market. A trip to Venice would not be complete without a gondola ride along Venice’s famous canals (we include a 30-minute gondola in the programme).

Alternatively enjoy the city at your own pace today. Perhaps stroll through the artists’ district of Dorsoduro, stopping to take in the city’s most breath-taking views from the Accademia Bridge.

In the evening, we will enjoy a farewell reception dinner, giving you the opportunity to reflect on your journey through this beautifully scenic part of Europe.

San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice

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11 Depart Venice

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.

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Featured Destinations

Lake Bled

Trieste

Trieste is an interesting city and a flourishing center of trade and commerce. It was a literary and cultural center in the 20th century, and the town has Viennese influence and style - along with grand squares, palazzi and churches. The main square, Piazza dell'Unita d'Italia, has Viennese cafes, Palazzo del Governo, and Palazzo del Comune with its clock tower. All of these buildings were built in the 19th century. The promenade is a worth a stroll. Upper town, Colle di San Giusto - with its terrific views - has beautiful Castello di San Giusto and its musuem at the top of the hill, Piazza Cattedrale. Basilica di San Giusto is two churches in several styles, including Roman and Byzantine, with frescoes depicting San Giusto (the town's patron saint), mosaics, and the lovely rose window. The civic museum here has art, religious items and historical items inside. Orto Lapidario displays pottery and statues. Visit Civico Museo Revoltella. Stop at Castello di Miramare and her gardens. Villa Opicina has a wonderful belvedere and views, and Grotta Gigante is an amazing walkable cave museum.

Excursions

Explore Trieste and its charming Miramare castle

Verona

Venice

With a great historic past and incomparable art treasures, Venice is renowned as one of the world’s great cities. Its 118 islands are separated by more than 150 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. During Venice's artistic golden age many magnificent structures were erected to create world-famous masterpieces. One of the best sightseeing routes is along Grand Canal, with many palaces lining the famous waterway. St. Mark’s Square offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. From Piazza San Marco, a maze of narrow streets are lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. A popular pastime is sitting at an outdoor café facing the square while people-watching and letting the whole marvelous scenario unfold. Venice’s Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands comprise an area famous as home of Venice’s glass-blowing industry and known for their charm, skilled lace-making and medieval monuments. Relax on a gondola ride, see art treasures in museums, churches and palaces, and have a sumptuous meal - all in this incomparable city.

Excursions

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

Venice - St. Marks, Grand Canal and Murano - 6 hours

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

The story of Murano and Burano

The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice

Ljubljana

This charming, inexpensive city with its relaxed pace, active cafe life and fondness for poets could be "the next Prague" with its own distinctive character. Several remaining structures show Roman and Baroque influences. The heart of the city lies on both sides of the Ljubljanica River. Over time, architects have used the Ljubljanica as an opportunity to build a handful of tasteful bridges. On one side of the river are the narrow cobblestone streets of the old town, which sits in the shadow of Ljubljana Castle. On the other side of the Ljubljanica is Tivoli castle, a graphic arts center, and the main shopping streets, lined by graceful art-nouveau buildings. The ultramodern Cultural and Congress Center, near the neo-rococo Opera House, is the setting for cultural performances. Worth seeing are the Franciscan Church and the Baroque town hall, with its monumental fountain. Hike to the top of 3,600-ft Mt. Katarina from Ljubljana. A trail begins in the suburb of Podutik before winding through spruce forests and up to a small church at the mountain's peak.

Excursions

Ljubljana tour with visit to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle

Lake Como

Zurich

Innsbruck

Vienna

Vienna is dominated by imperial castles and places: Schonbrunn, the magnificent summer residence, the Imperial Coach Collection, the Palm House, the Butterfly House, Belvedere Palace, magnificent state rooms in Hofburg, and the imperial crown in the Treasury. Stop by Ringstraße - the showplace of the monarchy built where Emperor Franz Joseph ordered the demolition of city walls. Important buildings include the State Opera, the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, Parliament, City Hall and Vienna University. The world capital of music. A long line of great composers Johann Strauss, Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, Mahler and Schonberg all worked here. A city with splendid concert halls, such as the Golden Hall, from which the Philharmonic's New Year's Day concert is broadcast annually. International stars love to appear here in the State Opera, Volksoper, Konzerthaus, and at festivals like the Vienna Festival, the Klangbogen concerts during the Musical Summer, the Jazz Festval and the Haydn, Mozart and Schubert festivals.

Excursions

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Vienna's Old Town, 2,5 hours

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Mozart in Vienna, 2,5 hours

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk Imperial Palace, 2,5 hours

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Tour of Vienna & Visit of Schoenbrunn Palace, 4 hours

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Tour Art Nouveau and Viennese Architecture, 4 hours

Vienna Shore Excursion: Private City Walk & the Lipizzaner Horses, 5 hours

Budapest

Caught between eastern and western Europe, Budapest has a character uniquely its own. It's also the last cheap, civilised city in Europe. Budapest can seem like one big sight, with each phase in its history, from the Ottoman period until the Communist days and from renaissance to revolution, leaving its mark on the city. For the tourist, a trip to Hungary's capital is dominated by the majestic sights of Buda. In the summer, there are open-air festivals at Szeged, Diosgyor Castle in Miskolc, Gyor and Pecs. Visit the former Royal Palace complex, the Matyas templom and the Belvaros. Margaret Island is a giant recreational park and feels pleasantly separated from the city bustle. Hungarian National Gallery houses Hungarian art since the birth of the nation. Although Esztergom is Hungary's most sacred city, home of the Archbishop and the nation's biggest church, it has a real-life edge. The first-time visitor to Szeged is invariably struck by its space and grandeur. One's immediate impressions of Hungary's third largest provincial city are of greenery and plazas, of broad.

Excursions

Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Half Day City Tour of Budapest, 4 hours

Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Full Day City Tour of Budapest, 8 hours

Budapest Shore Excursion: Private Half Day Tour Budapest Castle District, 4 hours

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

05/01/2026 - 05/11/2026

from $21,300 per person

06/05/2026 - 06/15/2026

from $21,300 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $21,300 per person

Length

10 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury

Remarks

Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1652088

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